A Struggle for a Ring — page 305: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ed A YOUNG LADY'S HINT. 301 And the countess took the words as a compliment; but Lady Ethel understood them perfectly, and felt very angry with gentle Ailie. Just as might be imagined, the countess, after a time, fell asleep; the warm, drowsy air, the odor of the flowers, the song of the birds, and the murmur of the trees, proved too much for her. | Their voices sank lower—of course that was only natural, Ailie thought; they did not care to disturb her; yet her whole heart grew sick with jealous pain as she noted it. Why need Lady Ethel bend her head in that pretty, grace- ful way? Why need Lord Carsdale look under the pretty brim of the hat? Surely he could speak, and she could listen, without being so near together. Then she saw Lady Ethel raise her head in a pretty, petulant fashion natural to her. She looked at Ailie, and her eyes said plainly as eyes could speak: ‘‘ Why do you not go away and leave us to talk together?” ‘‘ Miss Derwent, would it not be as well if you found another shawl for Lady Waldrove? She may take cold,” said Lady Ethel. And Ailie, looking at her, understood why she spoke. ‘‘T shall not leave them together,” thought Ailie, as she compressed her lips; ‘‘they shall not talk to each other in the lovely summer sunshine, while I have to live with- out one word from him—he is my hnsband, not hers.” For an answer, she rose and drew the shawl closer round the countess. Nae ‘She will be warmer now,” she said. ‘‘I do not'think Lady Waldrove likes me to leave her, even though she falls asleep.” The words were spoken with a smile, so sad and so sweet Lady Ethel could not be vexed. She only thought Ecomicboo <S=G